Continuous digital recording through channel changes with user selectable buffer erase

Abstract

A method and a system for maintaining user privacy in a device ( 100 ) that continuously buffers video programming responsive to changes in a user selected video channel. Video programming can be continuously recorded on a storage medium ( 148 ) and presented on a display device. Recording can continue uninterrupted during and subsequent to a user change of the selected video channel. Responsive to a user input, at least a portion of the video programming that has been stored on the storage medium ( 148 ) can be deleted. The user input can be a single command input such as an actuation of a control key. The selected portion of the video programming that is deleted can be controlled by a pre-determined number of actuations of the control key. All of the video programming also can be deleted from the data storage medium. An interactive erase menu can provide menu selections for various erasing options.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a recording device that continuously buffers audio/video programming responsive to a user selected input source, a method for maintaining user privacy, comprising: 
 continuously recording said programming on a data storage medium responsive to said user selected source;    providing said programming to a display device concurrently with said recording step; and,    selectively deleting, responsive to a user input, at least a portion of said programming stored on said data storage medium.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said user input is comprised of a single command input.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said single command input is a single actuation of a control key.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least a portion selectively deleted is controlled by a pre-determined number of control key actuations.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein all said programming is deleted from said data storage medium.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein all un-protected programming is deleted from said data storage medium.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said at least a portion of said programming deleted from said data storage medium is determined responsive to a user input.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said selectively deleting step, comprises providing an erase menu for display listing erase options for user selection.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said menu options comprise: 
 selecting a first option erasing user specified program segments;    selecting a second option for enabling and disabling protection of user specified program segments from erasure,    selecting a third option for erasing programming within user specified times; and,    selecting a fourth option for erasing all unprotected recorded programming.    
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said recording step continues uninterrupted during and subsequent to changing said selected source.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said selectively deleting step further comprises enabling said selectively deletion in accordance with changing said selected source.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said selectively deleting step further comprises deleting less than an entire portion of said programming that has been recorded responsive to changing said selected video channel.  
     
     
         13 . In a recording system that continuously buffers audio video programming responsive to a user selected program source, a system for maintaining user privacy, comprising: 
 a data storage medium being continuously recorded with said audio video programming from said user selected program source;    a display signal generator generating signals representative of said programming concurrently with said program recording; and,    a controller responsive to user input for controlling selective deletion of at least a portion of said program recorded on said data storage medium.    
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13  wherein said controller is configured to delete said at least a portion of said video programming in accordance with a single input command.  
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 13  wherein said controller is configured to delete said at least a portion of said programming in accordance with a single actuation of a control key.  
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 13  wherein said controller is configured to delete said at least a portion of said video programming upon a pre-determined number of actuations of a control key.  
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 13  wherein said controller is configured to delete all of said video programming from said data storage medium upon a command input.  
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 13  wherein said controller is configured to delete a user selected portion of said programming responsive to a user input.  
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 13  wherein response to a user input said display signal generator generates a menu of erase options for display.  
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 18  wherein said list of erase menu comprises ones of erasing user specified program segments; protecting user specified program segments from erasure, erasing specified program segments within specified times and, a erasing all un-protected programming.  
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 13  wherein said raid controller is configured to continue recording said programming substantially without interruption during and subsequent to a change of said selected program source.